An Apology and the Truth
by arinhel.melleide
Summary: "Gareth leaned forward in his chair, and rested his head on his keyboard. There was a familiar 'swoosh' sound out of his laptop's speaker and he sat up in immediate, wide-eyed terror...He had accidentally sent that email to her." Spoilers for 1.03. A Laureth twoshot.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: First time I wrote a oneshot so fast. I actually had a plan and everything! Which is pretty atypical of my writing, unfortunately._

 _I do not own, nor shall I ever own CBS's_ BrainDead _, there would be a lot more of Aaron Tveit's face if I did..._

* * *

 _Hey Laurel,_

 _I thought this would be the best way to reach you since you're not-_

"Goddammit, then I'll sound like an asshole. I already feel like one, no need to go and make myself into a bigger one." Gareth groaned as he leaned back in his chair. He had decided to write an email to Laurel to apologize for what happened that night at the wake. She wasn't returning any of his calls, again, and he felt a text really wasn't enough. But what do you say in an email like that? He sat forward, and started typing.

 _Hey Laurel,_

 _Sorry I kissed you, and then pretended it wasn't anything. 'Cause, you know, that's what mature adults do, and totally not teenage boys who don't know how to act around their crush. I hope you'll still talk to me and everything._

 _Sincerely,_

 _The Idiot Who Kinda-Sorta Likes/Screwed Up Any Chance He Had With You_

"Yeah, that would be _sooo_ smooth." He leaned forward in his chair, and rested his head on his keyboard. There was a familiar 'swoosh' sound out of his laptop's speaker and he sat up in immediate, wide-eyed terror.

"Oh, shit." He had accidentally sent that email to her. "What the hell am I going to do now?"

Did he play it off as another joke? No, that would just make everything so much worse. That's how he got into this mess in the first place, anyway.

Try to get to her before she reads the email? And what, convince Laurel to give him her phone and laptop so he can delete it? Yeah… How was he going to get to her before that, anyway? She probably already checked her phone…

Wait, doesn't she have constituent casework? She can't check her phone while she's doing that, so he could…

So he could WHAT?! He dropped his head back on his desk, purposefully pushing his laptop out of the way this time.

He was back at square one, trying to come up with some elaborate plan to get her phone and laptop, to delete an email he didn't mean to send, but meant every word of. Yeah, that's not pathetic at all… Not to mention wasting the precious time he had before she might see said email.

"Screw it." Red was out to lunch at the gym anyway. He got up and walked out of his office, with the determined look of a man on a mission.

0o0o0

Laurel had been grateful, and a little sad, when her phone had finally stopped buzzing that morning. She knew Gareth was just trying to apologize, she just didn't want to hear it at the moment. She still felt a little angry at him, but for the most part it was because she was scared of how much she felt about him.

Her phone buzzed a single time, an email then, it could wait.

The constituent in the room, a doctor on her lunch break according to the form, cleared her throat. Laurel shook her head to clear it of the image of a pair of pleading blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, not a lot sleep lately. What were you saying, Dr. Anderson?" The blonde ran a hand through her hair before answering.

"Well, my roommate has always been a little weird, but lately she's taken a different turn."

"Different how? And how am I supposed to help you with this?"

"I'm friends with Rochelle Daudier. She said you would be the person to talk to about this?" The woman looked a little hesitant to keep going. Being a doctor she was probably a little skeptical about what a senator's constituent caseworker could do for her. Laurel was up to the challenge.

"Has she become a little extreme about politics?" A nod. "Stopped drinking completely?" Another nod. "Thinks the world will literally end if Trump becomes President, or the other way round?"

"She always thought Trump was a joke, but now it's like-" The door to the conference room opened and someone—who she was going to ignore—popped his head in.

"Hey, Laurel, can I talk to you for a second?" She almost broke on hearing his voice, but she kept looking at the young woman in front of her. Even though said woman had turned to look at the handsome intruder.

"I'm with someone right now, Mr. Ritter." She knew that was a low blow, but she was upset. "Please wait outside, just like everyone else."

"No, I actually can't, _Laurel_." He put an emphasis on using her first name. "Can I please speak to you in your office, alone?" She finally looked up at him and the look on his face was so serious and determined that it nearly stunned her. It must be important if he looks that serious.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Excuse me for a couple minutes?" She stood up and Gareth held the conference room door open for her as he followed her to her office. He closed that door behind them.

"So what's going o-" He grabbed her by the waist with one arm, pulling her to him, and pressed his lips onto hers. It was just for a moment, but in that moment she had ended up against the opposite wall of her office. He wasn't forceful, it was almost like he was asking her something. But before Laurel could figure out what, he pulled away.

"It _was_ something, and I am _so_ sorry." Then she knew what Gareth had been asking for in that kiss. Forgiveness.

She decided to answer him by putting one hand on his neck and the other on his face, pulling him closer. She smiled at the surprise in his ridiculously blue eyes as she leaned in to kiss him soundly.

There was that spark again! Only this time she reveled in it, instead of running from it. He gently pulled away after another, much longer, moment, placing a couple small kisses on her lips as he did so. He left his forehead on hers as he paused to catch his breath.

"So, do I take it that I'm forgiven or should I apologize again?" Laurel wanted wipe that smirk off his smug face, whether by smacking him or kissing him again, she couldn't decide. So she did both. He just chuckled when she lightly smacked his shoulder, but he did let out a small yelp when she pulled him down by the lapels of his impeccably tailored suit.

She smiled cheekily as she pulled away, but then the smile dropped a little as she came to a decision.

"What's wrong?" He put a hand on her cheek, and looked into her eyes, his own full of concern.

"There's something I need to tell you, but I really need to finish up with my constituent. I want you to wait right here. Don't move." A small smirk for just a second and she saw him nod.

"I need you to let go now, Gareth."

"But you told me not to move." God, that smirk was going to be the death of her.

"Haha," She kissed his cheek as she slipped under his arm. "Just give me a few minutes to finish up, and I promise I will explain everything when I get back." And she stepped out of her office.

"Oh, wait!" Gareth called out to her and she turned in the doorway to look at him. "You might, uh, see an email from me? And, while none of it's a lie, I didn't mean to actually send it. It was just me, uh, venting to myself about what happened. And maybe one day I'll look back at it and laugh, but, uh, that day is definitely not today." Nervous laughter spilled from his mouth.

"Hunh," she paused, tilting her head to the side. "You should know me well enough by now. Giving me something to embarrass you? It's like dangling catnip in front of a cat." The puppyish look on his face almost made her burst out laughing. "Oh fine, I promise I won't look at it until you say it's okay."

"Thanks, Laurel. I will be right here," he pointed to the chair _behind_ her desk, "when you get back." Cheeky grin once more in place. She smiled back, closed the door after her, and took a deep breath.

Gustav wasn't going to like having another government employee knowing the 'secret', but Gareth could be a big help. Laurel just had to figure out how to convince him of the truth. That there were bugs eating peoples' brains and either turning them into political extremists, or making their heads explode.

Simple, right?

* * *

 _Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: So, I thought it was gonna be a oneshot, I was wrong...Though there shouldn't be any more to this specific storyline because I've got other ideas I wish to pursue XD_

 _I do not own, nor shall I ever own CBS's_ BrainDead _, there would be a lot more of Aaron Tveit's face if I did..._

* * *

 _What is even going on right now? Can I just let something like this happen?_ Laurel contemplated her situation for a moment.

 _The answer is, yes. Yes, I can._

Laurel smirked, playing with the straw in her drink, as she watched Gareth being hounded by middle-aged women at the bar. He was getting all flustered, which was always entertaining to watch, as he was so often the one in control. He had gone to the bar to get another round for the two of them.

There was apparently a sorority reunion party being hosted at their usual bar. So, when they walked in, more than a third of the bar was taken up by women between the ages of 45 and 55. They had been surprised, but willing to roll with it. She could tell that Gareth had started to regret that decision.

She almost spat out the remains of her first Old-fashioned when she saw one of the women go for his ass. From where she sat, Laurel could see red rising up the back of his neck, his ears were practically on fire. Gareth hadn't even had a chance gotten to order their drinks yet, and she was about to get up to help him out when a man walked up to the table, leaning on the back of what had been Gareth's chair.

"Aren't you a little young to be attending the reunion?" He gave her a smarmy smile, like he thought he was God's gift to women or something, Gareth sometimes smiled like that. The difference though, was that Gareth actually pulled it off.

"I'm not here for that." She shakes her head, trying to catch sight of Gareth, but the guy was directly in her line of sight.

"Well, would you like some company, then?" He invited himself to sit down, and Laurel could finally see Gareth again. He was still being bothered by one of the women in particular, and it was bordering on harassment. The urge to get up and help was much greater now that she had 'company'.

"I'm here with a, uh," she paused for a moment, unsure what to call the republican chief of staff. They hadn't had a chance to talk about what they were. "A friend." Laurel barely spared the man another glance; Gareth had finally gotten the bartender's attention. He had done so by leaning over the bar and snagging the guy by the arm.

"Well, where is she?" He looked excited at the prospect that she might have a hot girl-friend, too.

" _He's_ ," She jerked her head in Gareth's direction, who had turned around to try and get the cougar off his ass, literally, "at the bar, getting _us_ ," gesturing between herself and Gareth, "another round of drinks." Laurel tried to show this asshole that she was not looking for anything, because she had kinda, sorta found something.

"Only way a guy like that could be just friends with _you_ , is if he's gay." He chuckled at his own joke. "And that boy certainly looks it. So c'mon, honey," Laurel ground her teeth at that. "Let _me_ buy you a drink somewhere else, huh?" Laurel had had just about enough of this guy.

"Listen hear, ass-" Drinks slammed down on the table before Laurel could finish her insult.

0o0o0

Gareth finally had the drinks in his hands, and beaten off _Janice_ , he shuddered at the thought. He had been hoping Laurel might have come to his rescue, and was a little disappointed that she hadn't. But as he made his way to the table he knew why she hadn't.

Some guy was sitting in his chair. More like splayed across it really, an arm slung along the back, legs spread and he had this sleazy look on his face. Alright, he couldn't actually see the guy's face, but he could see Laurel's and the assumption was made.

His grip on the glasses tightened as his knuckles turned white, and he walked with a greater purpose and speed.

"…c'mon honey…" That was all Gareth needed hear to know that this guy was every bit the asshole he appeared to be. He slammed the drinks down on the table, cutting off Laurel before she could even get started.

"Excuse me, _sir_ , you're in my seat." He put an edge in his voice that he rarely ever used. He thought he might have seen Laurel shiver out the corner of his eye, but he'd have to over-analyze that later.

"Hey, hey, the lady and I are having a conversation. Why don't you leave the drinks and scram, kid?" Asshat, as Gareth had taken to call him, waved a dismissive hand at him. "Now, where were we?" The sleaze reached for Laurel's hand. Before she could recoil though, Gareth's own hand shot out, grabbing the other man's wrist in an iron grip, fingers digging into the sensitive tendons there.

"Alright, Asshat, clearly you are not paying attention to what 'the lady' has been telling you." He tightened his grip just enough to cause the other man to whimper a little. Gareth could see Laurel starting to smile.

"Now, you have two choices facing you." Laurel starts. "One, you get up and walk away, and we never have to see your face again." She said with an overly sweet smile and tone. "Or," and she chuckled evilly here, sending shivers down Gareth's spine. "Option two, I jam the very pointy heel of my shoe through your foot, and then you get up and limp away and we still never have to see your face again. Which will it be?" From the extra whimper, Gareth could tell that Laurel had started to apply pressure to the man's foot.

"Alright, alright, I'll leave! Let go of me, you psychos!" Gareth immediately dropped Asshat's wrist with a pleasant smile on his face, and watched as he walked away, with a slight limp. The chief of staff, sat down in the vacated chair and shared a triumphant smile with the woman across the table as he picks up his drink to take a sip.

"He thought you were gay, ya know?" Gareth splutters into his Old-fashioned, nearly choking.

"What?! Where ever the hell did he get that impression?"

"Well, I said I was here with a friend, then I pointed you out. And he said the only way a guy could be just friends with _me_ was if he was gay." She took a sip of her own Old-fashioned, to hide her embarrassment.

"I hate that guy even more now. Asshole, doesn't know how to talk to an actual woman." Gareth scoffed into his drink, then looked a little thoughtful. "We aren't just friends, are we?

"I don't know what we are really, and I didn't want to say we were anything that neither of us had agreed on yet."

"That's acceptable, I guess." He nodded his head. "Now, where were we?" Laurel gave him a rueful grin, but put her hand in his when he offered it.

"I believe I was trying to convince you about the bugs that are maybe eating people's brains?"

"And either causing them to become political extremists or make their heads explode?" He looked at her concernedly.

"Yes, I know it's hard to believe, but I witnessed one man's head explode. And I was told about a couple others."

"Jonathan, Red's late chief of staff, was one, wasn't he?" At her nod Gareth could see events falling into place. "That's why the FBI went to you about him, and why you've been asking those weird questions about Red?"

"Yeah," Laurel looked at his face searchingly. For his part, Gareth could only think of one response.

"Huh."

* * *

 _Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)_


End file.
